Wheeling attachment for boats



Dec. 1, 1964 J. w. RAYMOND WHEELING ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1963 JERRY W. RAYMOND INVENTOR. BY '5 M ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1964 J. w. RAYMOND 3,159,410

WHEELING ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS Filed June 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Shet 2 n T 1 1 "II. 27 I l 1 1 'u| o I 1 I -25 25- s 1 4| hi l I 24 30 3| I l I" l I x r L 3| In ",4 a i 5 a 36 JERRY W. RAYMOND INVENTOR.

BY I 1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,159,410 WHEELING ATTACHMENT FGR BOATS Jerry W. Raymond, 1162 (Irescent St, Wenatchee, Wash. Filed June 12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,336 Ciaims. Cl. 280-35 This invention relates to an improved wheeling attachment designed for temporary application to a row boat, or to a pleasure boat of limited size, for movement of the boat when not in the water; the present invention being in the nature of an improvement on the wheeling attachment disclosed in my copending United States application, filed under Serial No. 175,883, on February 23, 1962, now Patent No. 3,101,230.

More particularly, the present invention pertains to the provision of a cross-axle, equipped with wheels at its opposite ends, and with improved clamping means for the fixing of this axle across the top edges of the side walls of the boat or to the transom for movement of the boat from one launching area to another or for moving it from a body of water to a place of storage.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a cross-axle for wheeling attachments, that are readily adjustable in length to adapt the spacing of its opposite end wheels to the width of the boat, at any selected place of its attachment and also toequip it with novel securing clamps that have universally adjustable mountings that accommodate them readily to the usual compound angles of the opposite side walls of the boat relative to the axle as applied thereto- It is a further object of this invention to provide a readily disassembled combination of axle forming parts, that, when disassembled, may be compactly and easily stored in the boat or in an automobile or other form of conveyance.

Still another object of the invention is to equip the cross-axle with novel mountings for its convenient securement to the transom or stern end wall of the boat as may be found desirable.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the de- 4 tails of construction of its various parts; in their mode of assembly and application for use, and in the novel features and advantages in the various modes of use of the axle securing clamps.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- FIG. 1 is a perspective view, showing the present wheeling attachment as usually applied to a boat for towing it on a highway, ramp or other surface.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, taken transversely of the boat, on line 2-2 in FIG. 1; a part of the axle being broken away for explanatory purposes.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section, taken on line 33 in FIG. 2, showing an enlarged inside elevation of one of the axle securing clamps and its cross-axle mounting.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 2, especially showing the manner of use of the accessory clamp mounting collars as positioned on the cross-axle for its support from the transom wall of the boat.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an alternative manner of attaching the axle to a boat.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- In FIG. 1, I have shown a typical form of boat B, as equipped with the present cross-axle. This view shows the boat to be inverted for rolling travel, after applying the axle thereto; this being the most practical and is the usual application of the axle when wheels of limited diameter are employed. However, for this application of the cross-axle, it is best that its attachment to the boat be done before the boat has been inverted.

In its present preferred form, the cross-axle, which has been designated in its entirety in FIG. 2, by reference numeral 10, is made up of a medial main axle section 10a of tubularform, with extension shafts Hie-We telescopically applied within and extended from its opposite ends. It is noted by reference to its showing in FIG. 2, that the main axle section is made up of two tubular pipe sections 1)-10, of the same diameter, disposed end to end, in coaxial alignment and fitted at their inner ends over opposite end portions of an inserted length of joining shaft 12 to which they are releasably secured by the application of a plurality of set screws 13 applied thereto and tightened against the shaft 12. This medial or main axle section 10a is of such length that, when the axle is applied to the boat as in FIG. 2, it terminates at its opposite ends within the side walls of the boat.

The extension axles 1%, as adjustably or telescopically applied to the ends of the main axle section, extend beyond the opposite side walls W-W of the boat and each, at its outer end, mounts a suitable wheel 15 for rotation thereon. Each wheel is retained between a collar 16 that is permanently fixed to the extension axle, and a removable collar 16', that is normally held in place on the extension by a cotter key 17. The telescopic adjustment of these axle extensions 10a in the end portions of the main section, is secured by set screws 13, as in FIG. 2,

applied through the axle sections ltY-ltl', and set against the corresponding extension shafts 10a.

The cross-axle 10 is secured to the boat at the selected position of use by clamp devices applied thereto and to the top edges or gunwale portion of the opposite side walls of the boat. Each of these clamp devices is applied as seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 and is designated in its entirety by numeral 20. Each is seen to comprise, as its outer clamp jaw, an angle plate 21 that mounts a wooden block 22 or standard 22 on its inside face as shown in FIG. 2. The angle plate 21 considered as shown in FIG. 2, has an inturned flange 21' at its bottom edge, that bears flatly against the edge of the gunwale of the corresponding side wall of the boat. The lower edges of parts 22 or 22 are spaced from this inturned flange 21, as noted in FIG.'2.

Welded to, or otherwise rigidly fixed to the flange 21' of each clamp, adjacent its opposite ends, as best seen in 7 FIG. 3, are co-axially aligned tubular sleeves 2323 to which the ends of angular brackets 24-2 -5- are welded. These brackets have leg portions 24 best seen in FIG. 2 that extend inwardly and then turn upwardly, in reference to their showing in FIG. 2, and which at their upper ends mount threaded clamp screws 25 with turning handles 26 at their inner ends. At their other ends, the paired clamp screws are joined or spanned across their ends by a flat jaw plate 27 shown best in FIG. 3.

Disposed between the two sleeves 23-23, of each clamp and in axial alignment therewith, as seen in FIG. 3, is a longer sleeve 30, mounted on a pivot pin or shaft 31 that is applied through the coaxially aligned sleeves 2323 and also through the intermediate sleeve 30. On this latter sleeve 36?, at right angles thereto, a pivot post 32 is rigidly fixed in a downwardly directed position. This post is rotatably fitted in a sleeve 33, see FIG. 3, which, at one side thereof, has a short tubular collar 34 welded thereto at a right angle, as seen in FIG. 2. Those collars 34 are applied to the corresponding extension shafts 10e10e and thus the united parts 33-34 provide pivotal mountings for the clamping units 202il for application to the opposite side walls of the boat for the securement of the cross-axle thereto.

Preparatory to the initial application of the cross-axle to the boat, the two collars 3434 are left free for their ready sliding adjustment along their respective extension axles we and with the clamp jaws of the clamps opened apart for their easy application to the spacing of the opposite boat Walls. Then, after the open clamps have been applied to the boat walls, their jaws are caused to be tightly clamped against them as in FIG. 2 and the collars 34 are securedagainst slippage the eittension axles ltle 1tle by the tightening of set screws 36 that are threaded. therethrough and against the extensions. H

It will be understood, by referenceto FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, that the vertical pivot posts 32 as inouh't'edin the sleeves 33, which hremounted on the horizontal collars 34, permits the complemental clamp jaws to automatically adjust the clamp unit '20 to accommodate the longitudinal as Well as th'e vertical angle of'thesidewalls,andthen, after the enacting clamp jaws have been tightened by the screw shafts 25 against the walls, the collars 33 are set and locked by the set screws 36 applied therethrough as in FIG. 3.

It is also provided that'the cross-axle'may be functionally secured to the transom 'wall 40 of the boat, as has been illustrated in FIGM4, in which the boat'is shown to be inverted. In so applying the cross-axle, the two clamps 20-40 are'removed fromthe'ir sleeve mountings 34 34 as applied'in FIG. 3 to the axle extensions and 'are sirnilarily applied to vertical'slee'ves 33' welded to split collars 42'42 that are adjustably fitted toop'posite end portions of the m'ain'section Illa; these split collars 42 being also shown as applied, butnot in use, in FIG. 2.

The Canaan-42:11am applife'dtothe cross axle in any suitable spacing and the pivot posts 32 of'the'clamps applied to the sleeves 33' to mount the clamps 2tl2tl on the cross-axle in the same manher 'asjpreviously mounted in the sleeves 33b'ut i transversely of the boat at a location slightly (rearward of the'tra'nsoin wall. The

collars 42 -42 are each equipped with set screws '45 for their fixed 'secu 'rementin position on the cross-axle. v

This axle may be disassembled upon the loosening of the various set screws 13 andISth'at secure the assembly in adjustment, and its various parts conveniently stored in the'vehicleused for boat transportation, or may be placed in the boat intheevent his to. travel at the rear of the vehicle.

In the event that it is desired to to wftheboatin its upwardly facing, inormal position of use, the cross-axle 10 of such length that they will engage at their topedges against thegunwale of the, boat as at50 in FIG. 5 for their support of the boat. It will be understood that'in this manner of use lot the clamps 52,"the pressure exerted by the clamp'jaws against theistandards will operate to hold them in proper boat supporting positions.

If the boat supporting clamps 2020 are to be applied to the transom wall 40, their mounting stems are applied to the sleeves 33' of the split collars 42-42 in the same manner as seen in FIG. 4. 7

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form shown, since the particular construction shown and described is intended as illustrative rather than delimitive of the invention.

I claim:

1. A wheeling attachment for a boat of the character described; said attachment comprising a cross-axle having a tubular medial portion of lesser length than the width of the boa't, axle extensions applied 'telescopically'within the opposite ends of said medial portion of the cross-axle to extend beyond the corresponding opposite side walls of the boat'when the axle is applied thereto, boat supporting wheels rotatably appliedtothe outer end portions of the axle extensi'o'ns'and clamps mounted on said axle extensions, said clamps each comprising a pair of jaws for gripping the'c'orr'espondin'g side wall of the boat between them to functionally secure the cross-axle in position for the wheeling travel of theboat on a surface.

2. A wheeling attachment according to claim 1 wherein said clamps are each mounted for angular adjustment about a vertical supporting axis to adapt the clamps to the longitudinal angle of the boat wall, and the paired jaws of'each clamp are mounted on a common horizontal axis for adapting 'thernto the downward and inward inclination of said walls,at the'place of application.

.3. A wheeling attachment according to claim 2 where in a clamp mounting collar is mounted on each axle extension for its adjustment 'therealongeach collar having a set screw for securing it at the'positionof its ad- 'ju-stment on the corresponding axleextension and having a tubular bearing fixed vertically thereto for containing the vertical pivot axis of the correspondingclamp.

'4. A wheeling attachment according to claim 3 includ ing also, a pair of clamp mounting collars mountedon opposite end portions of the medial jaxleportio'nequipped 'for the mounting of the clamp jaws {thereon in positions for securement'of the cross-axle tothe transom Wall of the boat. I I n n 5. 'A' wheeling attachment according to'claim 3 wherein the medial portion of said cross axle comprises oppo- 'Refereuces'Ci'ted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,939,863 "Seiter Dec. 19, 1933 2,561,199 "Harder July 17, 1951 2,598,83l Ramcy V I.. June 3, 1952 

1. A WHEELING ATTACHMENT FOR A BOAT OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED; SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A CROSS-AXLE HAVING A TUBULAR MEDIAL PORTION OF LESSER LENGTH THAN THE WIDTH OF THE BOAT, AXLE EXTENSIONS APPLIED TELESCOPICALLY WIHTIN THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID MEDIAL PORTION OF THE CROSS-AXLE TO EXTEND BEYOND THE CORRESPONDING OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS OF THE BOAT WHEN THE AXLE IS APPLIED THERETO, BOAT SUPPORTING WHEELS ROTATABLY APPLIED TO THE OUTER END PORTIONS OF THE AXLE EXTENSIONS, AND CLAMPS MOUNTED ON SAID AXLE EXTENSIONS, SAID CLAMPS EACH COMPRISING A PAIR OF JAWS FOR GRIPPING THE CORRESPONDING SIDE WALL OF THE BOAT BETWEEN THEM TO FUNCTIONALLY SECURE THE CROSS-AXLE IN POSITION FOR THE WHEELING TRAVEL OF THE BOAT ON A SURFACE. 